Patricia Clarkson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia Clarkson
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Clarkson in 2017
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Patricia Davies Clarkson
December 29, 1959 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Education | Louisiana State University Fordham University (BA) Yale University (MFA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1985–present |
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Works
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Full list |
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| Awards | Full list |
Patricia Davies Clarkson (born December 29, 1959) is an American actress. She has starred in many different movies, from smaller, independent films to big studio productions. She has won a Golden Globe Award and three Primetime Emmy Awards. She was also nominated for an Academy Award (Oscar) and a Tony Award.
Patricia started her acting journey after studying drama at Fordham University and the Yale School of Drama. She first appeared in a major film called The Untouchables in 1987. Later, she gained a lot of attention for her role in the independent movie High Art (1998). She became well-known for her strong performances in films like The Green Mile (1999), Far from Heaven (2002), and Dogville (2003).
In 2003, Patricia received even more praise for her roles in The Station Agent and Pieces of April. She also won two Emmy Awards for her guest role on the TV series Six Feet Under. More recently, she played Ava Paige in The Maze Runner movies and won another Golden Globe for the TV series Sharp Objects in 2018. In 2023, she took on the main role in the spy thriller series Gray.
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Early Life and Education
Patricia Clarkson was born on December 29, 1959, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her mother, Jackie Clarkson, was a well-known politician and councilwoman in New Orleans. Her father, Arthur "Buzz" Clarkson, was a school administrator. Patricia is one of five sisters. She grew up in the Algiers area of New Orleans.
After high school, Patricia first studied speech pathology at Louisiana State University from 1977 to 1979. However, she soon realized her true passion was acting. In 1980, she moved to New York City to join the acting program at Fordham University. She graduated with top honors in 1982. She then continued her studies at the prestigious Yale School of Drama, earning her Master of Fine Arts degree in 1985.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting Out in Acting
After finishing her studies at Yale, Patricia began her career on Broadway in 1986. Her first movie role was in Brian De Palma's crime drama The Untouchables (1987). She played Catherine Ness, the wife of the main character, Eliot Ness. The next year, she appeared in Clint Eastwood's The Dead Pool (1988).
In the early 1990s, Patricia found it a bit challenging to find big roles. However, she had a small part in the popular movie Jumanji (1995). She then gained significant attention for her role in the independent drama High Art (1998), which earned her an award nomination.
In 1999, Patricia appeared in the critically acclaimed film The Green Mile, playing the wife of a prison warden. She also had roles in romantic comedies like Simply Irresistible (1999) and dramas such as The Safety of Objects (2001). She worked with Jack Nicholson in the thriller The Pledge (2001) and starred in the independent horror film Wendigo (2001).
Breakthrough Roles
In 2002, Patricia was cast in the drama Far from Heaven, alongside Julianne Moore. The same year, she played Margaret White in the TV movie Carrie. From 2002 to 2005, she had a recurring guest role on the HBO series Six Feet Under. Her performance earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
2003 was a very successful year for Patricia, as she appeared in several independent films. These included Dogville, The Station Agent, and Pieces of April. In The Station Agent, she played an artist who becomes friends with a man living in a train depot. For Pieces of April, she played a mother with cancer visiting her daughter for Thanksgiving. Her roles in these films brought her many awards and nominations, including a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Pieces of April.
Following these successes, Patricia starred with Kurt Russell in the sports drama Miracle (2004). She also appeared in George Clooney's historical drama Good Night, and Good Luck (2005). In 2007, she had supporting roles in the romantic comedy No Reservations and the comedy-drama Lars and the Real Girl. She also appeared in two films directed by Woody Allen: Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) and Whatever Works (2009).
Continued Success
In 2010, Patricia appeared with Leonardo DiCaprio in the thriller Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese. She also had roles in the comedies Easy A (2010) and Friends with Benefits (2011).
In 2014, Patricia returned to Broadway in the play The Elephant Man, which earned her a Tony Award nomination. The same year, she played the villain Ava Paige in the popular dystopian film The Maze Runner. She returned for the sequels, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) and Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018).
In 2017, Patricia starred in the drama The Party, for which she won a British Independent Film Award. She also guest-starred on the Netflix series House of Cards. In 2018, she co-starred with Amy Adams in the psychological drama miniseries Sharp Objects. Her performance in this series earned her another Golden Globe Award.
In 2023, Patricia took on the lead role in the spy thriller series Gray. In this series, she plays Cornelia Gray, a former CIA agent who comes out of hiding after twenty years when she learns there might be a mole in her old spy network.
Personal Life
Patricia Clarkson lives in New York City. She has never married and does not have children. She has stated that she was "born without that gene" for wanting marriage or children. However, she is very close to her nieces and nephews, as three of her four sisters have children. One of her nephews, Mac Alsfeld, is also involved in acting and filmmaking.
Patricia is also interested in environmental issues. In 2010, she wrote about her experiences growing up in New Orleans and the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Accolades
In 2010, Patricia Clarkson was honored by the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival with a Volta award for her achievements in her acting career.
Images for kids
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Clarkson in 2017
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Clarkson at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Whatever Works
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Clarkson with Sally Potter at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival premiere of The Party
See also
In Spanish: Patricia Clarkson para niños
